Mail-box.



PATENTED MAR. 27, 1906.

,IH III W. A. WHEELER.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED saw. 1, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 27, 1906.

Application filed September 1, 1904. Serial No. 222,913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM A. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention consists in certain improvements upon that which forms the subject-matter of my Letters Patent No. 745,749, dated December 1, 1903, the character of which will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail- 0X embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, a front elevation of the same on a somewhat enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a central sectional view thereof, the middle portion being broken away Fig. 4, a top or plan view of the front end, illustrating two positions of the target when folded down, one of said positions being shown in full lines and the other in dotted lines; Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective view, on a further enlarged scale,

illustrating the construction of the targetsupports and immediately-connected portion of the target; and Fig. 6, a detail sectional view, on a still further enlarged scale, showing the means of uniting the two adjacent portions of sheet metal employed in fastening in the bottom more plainly.

As before stated, the box in its general form is similar to that shown in my Patent No. 745,749, above referred to. Its sides 21 and bottom 22, however, instead of being united by ordinary rivets, as in the construction shown in said patent, are now united by means of portions of their own material in the following manner: The sides of the body portion and the bottom after being properly formed and the latter flanged are laid together. Perforations are then made therethrough with a tapered punch, which not only forms a hole, but forces the displaced metal through the hole, so that it projects upon the opposite side. By means of another tool the projecting portions are set down or clenched, so that the two sheets are firmly united together without the use of rivets. This is not only an economy, in that it saves the rivets and a considerable portion of the labor heretofore employed in inserting them, but it also leaves perforations through which nails may be driven'in mounting the boX upon the top of posts, as is the customary practicethat is, the single operation performs the double purpose of uniting and eyeleting these parts.

The door 31, its hinged rod 32, and its fastener member 33 are substantially the same as in my patent above referred to. The fastener member 34 is, however, somewhat differently formed. At the point provided for the insertion of a lock, which is just in front of the fastener member 33 when the door is closed, (see particularly Fig. 3,) this fastener member 34 is bent upwardly, (at 35,) so that when the member 33 passes thereover the door will be held fast without inserting the look, so as to be opened only by the application of considerable force. The member 34 has some of the qualities of a spring, so that it will yield as the member 33 passes over it, and thus hold the latter with considerable strength.

The target, as before, is composed of a suitable disk 41 and arod 42, the latter of which ismounted at a point behind the door in the combined fastener member and targetsupport 34 in a similar manner as in my patent above mentioned. Said rod 42, however, instead of being bent downwardly, as in the device of said patent, is bent upwardly, and the bearing 43, by which the target is secured to said rod, has an open forked end portion 44, which is adapted to pass astride the upturned end of the rod, as best shown in Fig. 5, and thus hold said target in upright position, while the target may be folded down by simply slipping said bearing along said rod toward the other end until the forks become disengaged with said upwardly-turned end, when the target is free to be folded down on either side of the rod, as will be readily understood and as indicated in Fig. 4.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a mail-box, of a target-support carried thereby and having an ICO upturned end, and a target mounted thereon and having a forked bearing which may be slipped astride said upturned end, whereby the target may be maintained in an upright position.

2. The combination, with a mail-box, of a target-support consisting of a round rod pivotally secured to the body of said box and having an upturned end, and a target mounted thereon and having a forked bearing I by the target may be maintained in an upwhich may be slipped astride said upturned right position.

end, whereby the target may be maintained in an upright position. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 3. The combination, in a mail-boX, of a I hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this iboily, thehdopr, suipablg fastening deigoeis for 29th day of August, A. D. 1904.

00 ring t e 001' o ose against the 0 y, a target-support carried thereby and having an WILLIAM WHEELER upturned end, and a target mounted thereon Witnesses: and having a forked bearing which may be ARTHUR M. H001),

JAMES A. WALSH:

slipped astride said upturned end and where- I 

